Norris Advances Closer to Title as Verstappen Claims Las Vegas Grand Prix Victory

The McLaren Lando Norris stepped nearer to a maiden championship with second place in the Vegas race behind the Red Bull of Max Verstappen

Norris currently heads fellow McLaren driver Oscar Piastri, who ended up in fourth place after the Mercedes of George Russell, by thirty points heading to the penultimate race in Qatar this coming weekend

Norris will win the championship in the desert as long as he doesn't surrender over five points to Piastri in Losail, or 17 to Verstappen

The Australian driver, so impressive in the first half of the season, has not finished on the podium for six consecutive events

"Max had a good race. I made the mistake early on and was overly aggressive on that first turn," stated Norris

"It remains a positive outcome to get second. I've got to congratulate Verstappen and Red Bull"

After Qatar, the last event of the championship follows in Abu Dhabi on December 7th

The main developments of one of Formula 1's most prestigious races were:

• Norris maintained his momentum towards the championship losing the victory to Verstappen

• Oscar Piastri's challenging performance streak continued as his title hopes wane

• A superb victory for Verstappen to keep him in the title fight

• Fightbacks for both Ferrari drivers, following a difficult qualifying session, with Lewis Hamilton securing a single point for 10th following beginning at the back

From the beginning, Norris was faithful to his statement that he was "not present to avoid risks" as he battled aggressively to protect his lead from starting first from Max Verstappen

However following an aggressive cut in front of the Red Bull driver to block the Verstappen's challenge on the inner line, the McLaren driver misjudged his braking zone and went too deep into the corner

That enabled Max Verstappen to drive past into the first place while Norris lost the runner-up spot to Russell

Through two virtual safety cars for some early incidents, including at the beginning when the Racing Bulls Liam Lawson made contact with Oscar Piastri, Verstappen gradually stamped his authority on the race

Russell made an early pit stop for the hard tyres, but Norris and Max Verstappen stayed out

Norris pitted five laps following the Mercedes driver and Verstappen ten laps later

The Red Bull driver was could rejoin still in the first place, Russell having been unable to close in on the Red Bull car even with his newer rubber

Lando Norris returned after Russell from his stop but after a few cautious laps to allow his tyres to warm up, quickly reduced his three-point-three second deficit to the Mercedes and overtook into runner-up position on the thirty-fourth lap

The British driver asked his race engineer how to manage the rest of his event, effectively asking whether he should accept second or attack

He was told to "go and get Max" but it quickly became apparent he had little opportunity. Verstappen was readily could repel Lando's attacks, and in the closing stages the gap increased substantially as the McLaren car began to experience a mechanical problem which has thus far remained unidentified

Even with losing almost three seconds a circuit, Lando Norris was able to hold off George Russell because of the extent of the advantage he had built while chasing Verstappen

The Verstappen's sixth victory of the season - only one less than the two McLaren drivers - was taken in emphatic style and maintains him in title contention, at least mathematically, although he requires issues for Lando Norris in both remaining races to overtake him

"It remains a significant margin, we consistently attempt to optimize everything we've got," Verstappen said

"In upcoming weekends we will attempt to take victory in the race and by the conclusion of Abu Dhabi we will know where we end up, but I'm very proud of the entire team"

Oscar Piastri began in fifth but dropped two places on the opening lap after being hit by Lawson, who was soon taken out of contention by a broken nose section

He followed Liam Lawson's team-mate Isack Hadjar for the opening fifteen circuits before overtaking him on the Las Vegas Strip but lost position to Leclerc, who he was could overtake again during the tire change phase

The Australian ended up behind the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who ran almost the whole event on hard tyres after pitting during the first virtual safety car, but was given a five-second penalty for a starting procedure violation, which was not immediately obvious on replays

"It was a disappointing race from pretty much beginning to end in certain respects," Oscar Piastri told BBC Radio 5 Live

Asked about how he would tackle the remaining events, he said: "Simply attempt to position myself in the best position I can. I obviously require several of things to go my way now to win, but all I can do is make myself in the best position to take advantage if circumstances change"

Leclerc held on in sixth place, not close enough to gain from Kimi Antonelli's time penalty, while Sainz fell to seventh place at the finish, his Williams car lacking the speed to compete with the leading outfits in the dry conditions, after his heroic performance to qualify in third in the wet

Isack Hadjar secured eighth place ahead of the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg and Lewis Hamilton

The seven-time champion made a strong getaway, rising to 13th on the opening circuit and proceeded to move forwards

He became trapped in a slipstream group with a group of additional vehicles but was could use his electric start to rescue a point following the poorest qualifying session of his racing life